Sunlight fades

[art_of_war]

WHO: Thrawn and Chise Hatori
WHERE: The Met art meuseum
WHEN: Dec 28(?)
WHAT: A Christmas present now turning into an adventure for Thrawn and Chise at the Met
WARNINGS: None known? TBE if needed.



Thrawn's reasoning for asking Chise to be his guide was actually threefold; first this world was enough like her own that she understood things that he wouldn't on his own. Second, having her in close physical proximity meant her neutralizing power was affecting his power and thus he did not have to wear gloves and avoid all physical contact. That was particularly helpful was when exchanging funds for a grossly overpriced 'I heart NY' t-shirt. And three; ...well, she would enjoy it, wouldn't she? She said she would.

After a bit of wandering (and more than a bit of other people staring) Thrawn and Chise had found the museum. With tickets given over, map acquired...and the scale of the place meaning that it was such that Thrawn was looking up at the soaring arches with interest, hands clasped behind his back.

Comments

[deosil]

This world was unlike her own beneath a thin veneer of similarities but just enough for her not to feel too out of place. Chise had been so sheltered in the imposed exile of her capabilities that she was simply too embarrassed to correct Thrawn on one thing. That they were bound to get either overwhelmed or hopelessly lost in the Metropolitan.

By the grace of Thrawn being a regular bon vivant when it comes to the art world bound to want to take his time - neither would likely happen. Hopefully.

Regardless, she was on cloud nine to be here. In the company of a friend she could learn something from. Even one who had to taught that anyone selling shirts off the street in a major city was going to give them a raw deal.

"They opened a new exhibit on ancient Rome," Chise said as she ran up beside him. Much of this sojourn to the museum had been Thrawn moving on ahead with Chise running up to meet his long-legged gait. Eagerly hovering around him to either be helpful or at least nearby. "And feudal Japan! I know that one, actually."

[art_of_war]

Thrawn did not leave off his musings on the grandeur of the arched entranceway to the museum to answer Chise.

"It is fortunate that the artwork of your homeland is represented here, as well. Perhaps there is a similarity to the patterns you are familiar with."

Meaning that one, please. Thrawn has all the manners of a sea urchin. He's usually about as huggable as one, too.

[deosil]

As ever with Thrawn, Chise either believed him to be either unsociable or out of practice. Not so much bothered by it and never offended. Only curious as she stuck to him like his shadow if things would change.

"Maybe." She said with a little shrug; well aware she knew very little about art.

"Do you want to go inside?" She added, "The cold never seems to bother you."

[art_of_war]

To Thrawn, New York winters didn't really count as 'cold'. The fact he would wear long sleeved things had more to do with covering the blue skin of his arms than the temperature. Chise wasn't wrong on either count actually; Thrawn was unsociable because...well he preferred it that way. The chain of command had helped, but there was a deep prejudice in the Imperial Navy. So he hadn't made any effort to put manners into practice.

At present he stops his musing enough to look down again and nod once at her.

"As you wish. I must admit that I underestimated the scale that this building would be on."

[deosil]

"You and me both."

The weight of those words not settling in until they came into the gallery entrance. All the breath knocked out her in one shallow, tiny gasp. Coming in from the frigid air after handing off their tickets they crossed a threshold into what might as well have been another world.

High arched ceilings dressed up with colorful banners for new exhibits. A cavernous sight bathed in a golden white light; the strategically placed florescents gave the hall an ethereal quality.

While not crowded, it was just enough that when a guided tour happened by it felt that way. The chattering throng of people pushed themselves too close and Chise darted behind her chaperone. For her part, putting in a concentrated effort to be a sponge more than a wellspring in case there were any imPorts in those numbers.

"I recognize that," She said - pointing to a banner for an exhibit for the Italian Renaissance, only because anyone from her neck of the woods would.

"Oh!" With more enthusiasm she peered from around Thrawn at no more than elbow height to motion to another exhibit. "They're doing an exhibit on the British Isles too."

Chise glanced back up at him. They had a map and she was happy to go wherever.

[art_of_war]

Chise actually had the advantage over Thrawn on this one; none of it was familiar to him and therefore all of it was interesting. There was a guided tour assembling not far, though and by her behavior, alone, it was not difficult to surmise that Chise was not used to being in crowds and was nervous of them. Therefore the exhibit featuring work from the British Isles is mentally deemed unsuitable as that was where the tour group would be.

"I must concede to your knowledge. I assume based on the banner this 'Renaissance' period is chiefly paintings. Is that gallery closer?"

Chise had the map, after all. Though even taking a cursory look at it, this 'Metropolitan' place really had a pretty extensive collection.

[deosil]

Even when she was inclined to shoot her mouth off when curiosity, excitement, or some ill-fortuned mixture of the two got the better of her - she doesn't. Guessing as much that telling Thrawn that the Renaissance was common knowledge even for her would be pointless at best, and rude at worst.

"Paintings on loan as well as a few originals that are mostly sketches," Chise said as she flipped through the glossy pages of the map that also served as a brochure. "Some recreations of inventions and set pieces to: 'Paint a picture of a period which forever changed the social and political landscape of the Western world.'"

Chise shrugged, but not with disinterest. She simply wasn't that book smart beyond a few more obscure topics.

"It's off the wing right beside us, actually."

[art_of_war]

Leaning over, Thrawn was literally reading over Chise's shoulder. Though more accurately, it was more like looking down at whatever she was seeing from above. It's more of a granular and smaller scale study of any culture than he would usually do, but there was a definite interest in the charcoaled study of motion and the connective tissues between fingers.

...he's not really polite about waiting, though.

First, there's a wing of broken statuary which he hardly pays any mind. Hands remain clasped behind his back and these get only a cursory glance, then on.

He slows a bit as he comes to the exhibition gallery. Eventually, he does come to a stop in front of a displayed charcoal study of hands.

"I do not understand why the artwork of this world took so many hundreds of years before it shows a contemplation of the human body."

[deosil]

Face hot sensing the sudden intrusion, Chise quietly adapted to the situation but fanning out the pamphlet more. Enough for two people standing at odd angles to read. She was already used to Thrawn being an intense force of personality, but it always caught her off guard to work around it.

-And, he was off.

Bringing up the rear to the point she was nearly sprinting, Chise was at his side once more. She wanted to huff and sigh. He could be so difficult sometimes.

"It's one interpretation," Chise said as she came up beside him; one hand on the glass separating them from the well preserved display. "This might be accurate, but there are some very, very old representations floating about of the ideal."

She sees a man splayed out in full form with all anatomical correctness and tucks her chin in, face red. "I think the artist might be a little bias."

[art_of_war]

'Difficult' was a polite way to put it. A royal pain in the ass was probably more accurate.

Thrawn was not entirely certain why an anatomical study would cause Chise to be radiating so much excess heat. This had to be a cultural difference, though.

Standing beside her with his hands still clasped behind his back, he pretended not to notice her flaming cheeks.

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

[deosil]

"You don't see it?" Chise interjected, genuinely perplexed with an open mouthed sort of wonder only naivety could write off.

She could do royal pain in the ass was another story. Neither sure if Thrawn was an expert, quick on his feet, or a well-spoken idiot. She had to think fast on her feet, especially if it might be all three,

"Human culture reflects what is important," She said, making a bell shape around the silhouette 0f the piece. "I don't know much, but bodies were valued for what they were capable of."

She was absolutely just echoing what she learned in the house just west of London. Shame Thrawn could know it, too.

"Sometimes for help, or assistance if they could manage it."

[art_of_war]

Her reaction was fascinating to Thrawn.

He hardly spared the sketch a glance. Thrawn was much more interested in Chise at the moment. Her face was losing some of the excess heat it was giving off, but it was still there to a degree. Some form of cultural taboo about the body - what exactly Thrawn wasn't quite certain yet. Let's see where some innocent questions end up.

"...to be athletic was valued?"